“Survivor 47” runner-up Sam Phalen struggled going proper into the aftershow after dropping the jury vote towards Rachel LaMont.
“It’s very hard. You don’t get a ton of answers about why everything happened the way it happened,” Phalen, 24, solely instructed the Put up the day after coming in second place throughout the finale.
The sports activities reporter additionally admitted he was in “emotional turmoil” after developing quick towards LaMont, 34, on the remaining tribal council.
Learn Phalen’s full interview beneath.
New York Put up: What jury votes did you assume you would get heading into remaining tribal?
Sam Phalen: I felt like I had Sierra and Kyle in my nook and would have the ability to get their votes. Gabe was one other one which I used to be fairly assured with the argument that I deliberate to make and the kind of efficiency that I deliberate to have at remaining tribal, that it might be one thing that will win Gabe’s vote over. That evening I used to be actually attempting to pitch Andy and Teeny, who I felt had been tremendous within the air and will have swung both approach.
I felt prefer it was going to be very tight, very shut. I knew I wanted 5. I knew Sue’s not voting for me if she’s breaking the tie in a 4-4.
So was Sierra’s vote the one which shocked you essentially the most?
Yeah. Undoubtedly. I assumed Sierra would have for certain been a vote for me.
Was it your plan to go towards what Rachel was saying at remaining tribal a lot?
I knew Rachel had performed a loud recreation. A recreation that was tangible and seen. Necklaces and an idol play and this stuff that the jury can actually get behind and get enthusiastic about. And I knew a number of the stuff that I had been doing that allowed me to have some management on the sport and survive was not that approach. And so with the intention to make my recreation loud and seen, I used to be going to should be loud and seen that evening. I used to be going to have to tug no punches and are available for Rachel’s neck. I instructed her as a lot moving into. I’m like, ‘Hey, I’m going to struggle tonight. I hope you’re prepared.’ And she or he completely was. It was very enjoyable to have the ability to go off each other and knock one another out and knock one another down and maintain attempting to distinguish ourselves to face out. It was a extremely enjoyable battle.
Have any of the jurors instructed you why they didn’t vote for you?
No, I haven’t received a lot of that. Lots of people really feel like, you recognize, I gained the ultimate tribal council. A minimum of that’s what I’ve been been instructed by lots of people that had been there that evening who really feel like I actually made it a really troublesome alternative for them. I believe it was a extremely shut run. The votes don’t at all times essentially mirror how torn some folks could possibly be of their choice making. I’m very pleased with the best way I represented my recreation that evening and I believe I opened lots of people’s eyes to it.
How was your psychological state doing the aftershow proper after studying you misplaced the sport?
It’s very arduous. You don’t get a ton of solutions about why every thing occurred the best way it occurred. And so that you’re attempting to placed on a courageous face and also you’re attempting to be swish. I used to be actually attempting to let Rachel have her second and be celebrated and have this cool celebration of our season. And behind your thoughts in fact you’re like, ‘Why didn’t this particular person vote for me? What occurred right here? I felt prefer it was going so nicely.’ You’re asking your self these questions. So it’s emotional turmoil, you recognize, and a troublesome place to be reflecting on the sport and the journey that all of us simply skilled if you haven’t had the closure of reflecting on it with the folks you probably did it. Robust seat to be in.
What would you’ve gotten carried out in case you gained the ultimate immunity problem as a substitute of Rachel?
It’s arduous to say simply because the place my mind is now, I’m undecided is essentially what my mind was within the second. I do really feel fairly strongly I’d make hearth towards Rachel. I’m a take the final shot form of an individual. And that’s how I performed the sport. Aggressive, all out, attempting every thing and taking it into my very own arms. And I believe I’d have actually needed my story to finish taking it into my very own arms towards Rachel in hearth. If I’d’ve gained immunity, I’d prefer to assume I’d have stepped up and made hearth towards Rachel.
